Salvaging over-sized brass

[GentleBen]

I have a little more than 1,000 pieces of new Hornady 6.5C brass. While full-length sizing the first 350 pieces of new brass, I noticed that I bumped the shoulders back too much. Instead of measuring an optimum 1.532 at the ogive, they are coming in at 1.522 -- 0.010 more than called for. This in turn threw off other measurements, etc. by one hundredth of an inch...or if you prefer, by 10 thousandths of an inch.

The rounds I loaded liked this, did fire well (no FTEs, FTFs, chambering problems or signs of pressure). But groups were only decent (1 to 1.5 inches at 100 yards) and not spectacular or consistent. Good news is that once all these cases were fired they were blown back into my Rem700 Custom chamber's dimensions and measure right at 1.532 at the ogive. So there is no future loss there. I will just neck size them for a few cycles and reset my Redding full length sizing die depths.

Question is what would be the best way to handle the remaining 250 or so new, prepped, primed and ready to load cases that are set back too far by 0.010 inches? Screw it and just have fun, using them for foulers and plinkers? Should I still try to load them for accuracy with my Berger 130s and 140s, Sierra 140s and Hornady 140 AMaxes? To do that would take more than a pound of my precious H4350.

Here is my plan, unless someone suggests otherwise: Take some of my less expensive Hornady 100gr bullets and develop some light recoil loads (intended for 100 yards only) with some other powders I have on hand like Varget, TAC, R-17, V-N550, Hybrid 100V. They will do the job of blowing my brass back into chamber size.

Or, am I fretting about nothing and this is all an exercise in reloading paranoia?

Any thoughts?

 

[jpretle]

What is your chamber neck size? I would expand the necks so they will not fit into the neck, then re-size just enough so they will chamber. That will keep the case back against the bolt face when fired and minimize any case stretch.
This has worked for me, in the past. Currently have some 308's to do just that to.

 

[jonbearman]

Seat the bullets to jam and that will hold the cartridge in position.Dont use full power loads but mid range should work well to reform the case.If I am wrong please correct me.

 

[Steve Blair]

Jon is right. That's the most common and an effective method. Jammed fire forming loads can also shoot pretty well when developed.

 

[243winxb]

Or, am I fretting about nothing and this is all an exercise in reloading paranoia?

I load and shoot 243 win brass as it came from the factory (undersize) Groups are 1/4" larger in my rifle when compared to prepped brass.

 

[59FLH]

6yrs old, my bad

 

[NorCalMikie]

Seat the bullets to jam and that will hold the cartridge in position. Don't use full power loads but mid range should work well to reform the case

What Jon says. Standard full length will leave enough neck tension that when seated at a jam, most likely won't get pushed back into the neck. Load and fire. You're shooting so what 's wrong with that? Even hotter loads will work.

 

[jelenko]

How does jamming the bullet into the lands keep the case from expanding to fill the chamber even with low power loads? Does the case not fully expand with mid to low power loads?

 

[divingin]

How does jamming the bullet into the lands keep the case from expanding to fill the chamber even with low power loads? Does the case not fully expand with mid to low power loads?

It doesn't.

Jamming the bullet gives enough resistance to prevent the case from pushing deeper into the chamber when the firing pin hits, and prevents the case stretch from excessive headspace.

Case stretch occurs when the case gets pushed forward, expands from pressure causing the neck to hold the throat, and the case base expands back to the bolt face. That thins and hardens the brass at the point of stretch, usually just above the case web; and can result in failure of the case at that stretch point.

 

[jelenko]

Thanks. But, doesn't jamming the bullet into the lands ensure the case is forward in the chamber when it goes bang? So when it goes bang it still stretches to the rear?

 

[Uthink Uknow]

We build and sell what we call a ring die. It sizes only the base diameter of your case. Our ring die is a straight inside wall die and so it doesn’t touch the neck/shoulder area at all. This is a 30BR case and you can clearly see where the die is working.

 

[Ackman]

Thanks. But, doesn't jamming the bullet into the lands ensure the case is forward in the chamber when it goes bang? So when it goes bang it still stretches to the rear?

No. The opposite.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Thanks. But, doesn't jamming the bullet into the lands ensure the case is forward in the chamber when it goes bang? So when it goes bang it still stretches to the rear?

With the bullet jammed into the lands (with the proper amount of neck tension to keep the bullet from being pushed back into the neck) the case head is held against the bolt head and when fired, the shoulder blows forward to fill the chamber. Might take more than one firing to get the full resize. Softer brass would flow easier.

 

[jelenko]

Ah! Of course, if the bullet is jammed, the bolt face is going to be pressing against the base of the case. Duh, ....., duh ......., duh!
I won't bother describing the picture that I had in my head.

 

[NorCalMikie]

I won't bother describing the picture that I had in my head.

A lot of us probably had the same picture at one time or another.
Won't be long and we'll be asking YOU for instructions.